Getaway
by R.L. Nossett
Summary: Former race car driver, Aster, has to complete perilous tasks that test his wit to get his wife back, who has been kidnapped by an unknown Russian Man. Following these tasks, he has to bring along a skilled computer hacker kid, who has an annoyingly sarcastic tone and white hair.
1. Chapter 1

_**Based off the 2013 movie,** Getaway **, staring** Ethan Hawke **and** Selena Gomez **.**_

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own the character of_** _Rise of the Guardians_ ** _, nor the plot to_** _G_ _etaway_ ** _._**

 _ **Enjoy :)**_

* * *

Coming home to his apartment wrecked was not what Aster was expecting. He expected to see his beautiful wife, decorating the tree, or making her favorite sugar-free cookies, or sitting on the couch and reading, or doing anything.

He wasn't expecting Christmas music blasting loudly from a speaker and his home trashed, with his wife no where to be found.

* * *

 _... jingle bell rock Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun_

"Ana?" Aster said, pushing the door of his home open and stepping into the house that no longer felt familiar to him. From where he stood, he could see the tree toppled over, the presents, that he just knew Ana spent so much time wrapping, a wreck and broken.

 _Now the jingle hop has begun_

 _Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time_

The tree was halfway decorated with tinsel and ornaments, lights flickering and blinking red and green. The green tree, lying on its side on their wooden floor, looked crushed in a few spots, as if someone had landed on it and fell over with it.

 _Dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square_

Aster walked forward, ignoring the sound of the crackling pieces of the ornaments that were on the ground, halfway broken with the pieces skattered around the floor. Stepping over the golden star that Ana loved to put at the top. He kept walking.

 _In the frosty air._

 _What a bright time, it's the right time To rock the night away_

Pausing, then stepping over a puddle on the floor, glass surrounding it. She or someone must've been drinking something and dropped it...Once again, he ignored the cracking sound when he stepped on a piece of glass.

 _Jingle bell time is a swell time To go gliding in a one-horse sleigh_

Continuing his walk, he saw the flower pot that was usually on the coffee table, turning over and on the floor by the fire place. The magazines and coasters that were there were scattered around, one coaster on the floor and the top magazine ripped. Someone must've crashed into it...

 _Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet_

One of the double doors were open with the privacy glass shattered and on the floor in large chunks. Only one of the doors were open, the other firmly shut.

 _Jingle around the clock_

Just a few feet away from the glass, blood was on the floor. In the shape of a footprint as well, probably from a boot or large shoe. The size was way to big to be his wife's, and it wasn't his either...

 _Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet That's the jingle bell rock_

He paused, seeing the frame of a picture of Ana on the floor, shattered glass once more as if stomped on.

 _jingle bell jingle bell jingle bell rock_

 _Ring ring ring_

* * *

In a parking garage. A shout, thud, dropping and clicking of keys. Thumps of footsteps, running. A door opening and shutting. The engine roaring to life.

He's off.

The white Shelby mustang. Waiting for him, sitting in that parking garage. He put it in gear and drove, the wheels skidding as he slammed on the accelerator, moving fast, swerving to avoid the guard, still shouting in French. The wheels of the mustang screeching over the concrete when he turned and switched gears. Continuing to screech and skid as he made his way out of the parking garage, turning every which way to get to the exit.

And he was out. Narrowly avoiding an incoming car and crashing through the barrier pole, swerving through the cars and merging into traffic. The gate guards yelling behind him. Then the police were behind him. The familiar yet different sound of the sirens and their little police cars, white with the yellow stripe and the lights above.

* * *

 _Ring_

 _Ring_

 _Ring_

 _"Listen carefully. Your wife has been taken. 4:30 P.M you will go to the Victosious Street Parking Garage. There, on level 2, you will find a special car. You will know which one. Steal it. There are cameras installed on the inside and outside of the vehicle."_

 _"I am watching every move you make. Drive it to the top of the city, and I will contact you there. It's been a long time since you've driven, but you'll have to overcome your fear if you want to save her. Your wife is very beautiful. If you want her back, you'll follow my instructions precisely."_

 _"If you contact the police, or if you get caught, she will die."_

* * *

With the police hot on his trail, he put all his knowledge into racing and driving a car in the center of his thoughts. He had to lose them. Driving fast, quick turns and easy maneuvers got most of them away. However there were still a few persistent ones. He got those in a rain drainage tunnel.

Backing away, he drove. Back on the road, he left the city, no cops. Driving to a point up above, overlooking the beautiful city. He got out, leaning against the side of the vehicle, hat and glasses covering his face.

 _Ring ring ring_

He took his glasses off, pulling his phone out and answering it, but not saying anything.

 _"You've done very well Mr. Mund, during the coarse of this night, you will be given several tasks. If you fail at any, you will never see your wife again. How do you like the car? You like it? It's armored, it was designed specifically for you."_

"Is she alive?"

 _"The police will be looking for you. If they catch you, ever, the game is over, is that clear?"_

"Aster? Aster, what's happening, please help me! Where are you taking me? Wait-"

 _"She's fine. For now. She will remain that way as long as you follow my instructions. I'm watching you. Always. Get rid of your phone."_

 _Beep Beep Beep_

Signalling the call was cut off, Aster lowered the phone and sighed. He looked down and dropped his phone, walking back to the car and opening the door. Taking his hat off and getting in, then starting it and backing up before pulling down the road.


	2. Chapter 2

In a long dark hallway, windows high above near the ceiling, Ana was being dragged by two men much bigger than she was, with two more tailing behind them. Turning a corner, they arrived at a dead-end, a fence-like door the only thing in sight. One of the men holding her let go, letting the other one hold both her arms, while he opened the door.

The guy walked her forward, before pushing her hard into the room, letting her fall onto the cold concrete with a soft thud and a yelp. He shut the door and the four men began to walk off. She got up and ran to the door, pounding on it with both hands, "No! Please! Please, don't leave me here!" She yelled, "No!"

Sighing with regret, she stopped pounding and moved back to the center of the room. It appeared to be some storage room, cans and boxes stacked on shelves and on the floor. A lone mattress more towards the right. She sat down and put her head in her heads, wondering what exactly was going on and if she would ever get out..

* * *

Aster drove. He drove through the city, waiting for the Russian Man to call him again, or tell him something. For now, however, he just drove. Looking every which way for any indication for the police, flashes of Ana's face going through his head..

He'd save her.

He'd get her back..

 _Ring ring ring_

The GPS suddenly lit up with a telephone on it. He pursed his lips, "Answer." was all he said.

 _"Speed up"_

He shift the gear, going up from 35 to 45, _"Faster."_ The Man said. Shifting the gear, once more, going from 45 up to 60. _"Turn left."_ The Man instructed once he got to an intersection. He did, the wheels screeching a bit.

 _"Go to the intersection, and turn hard left."_

He said, but Aster paused..He shook his head, "No, no, I can't do that..I'll dead-end into the park." He explained, still driving.

 _"Just do it."_

"It's Christmas, alright? There's gotta be hundreds of people in there." He said, trying to avoid doing this act.

 _"I won't ask again."_

Aster took a deep breath, then tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He whispered a curse, shifted gears, and made a hard left into the park. He pressed the horn through it all, warning the people to get out of the way.

"C'mon, move!" He yelled, "Get out my way." He said, under his breath. Swerving to avoid people and the decorations, he drove through the park. People yelling behind him in French.

 _"Drive toward the market."_

He pressed the horn, continuing to drive. The people dove and ran to get out of the way of this fast moving car. He drove between the stalls of the market, not touching them.

 _"Smash into everything you can."_

"I can't do this!" He yelled.

 _"You have no choice."_

The Man was smug. He licked his lips and continued to drive and press down on his horn. He quickly maneuvered the car, smashing into a fake tree, presents, and other Christmas decorations. Driving into tables and chairs, breaking glass and skidding across the pavement. The plastic boxes flying into the windshield, making him duck in the car just to see where he was going.

He continued to drive.

 _"Excellent. Now drive onto the skating rink."_

Aster, still swerving to avoid people, yelled, "There's to many people!"

 _"Now."_

The man left no room for argument. Aster clenched his jaw, "Get outta the way!" He yelled, pressing the horn and driving onto the ice rink. The people screaming and sliding to get out of the way, and Aster turning the wheel back and forth to get the mustang on it's wheels, slipping and sliding across the ice.

Off the ice, he ran into another tree.

 _"Go straight to the stage where the man is speaking. Knock it down."_

"I'll kill 'im!"

 _"Do it."_

"You're crazy." Aster said, looking directly at one of the cameras that were installed in the mustang.

 _"Now."_

He pressed his horn, getting closer and closer to the stage with a good-sized crowd in front of it. He swerved, only hitting the edge of the stage, knocking over a pole that held the small catwalk for the lights. The lights bursting and cracking, making the people run and scream.

He drove.

Knocking into posters and pictures, paintings and stands. More presents and another booth.

 _"Now, go down the stairs."_

He stopped right in front of the stairs. "Oh, hell." He said, accelerating and going down. The people jumping off or running back down. He stopped, off the stairs, in the middle of the plaza.

 _"Mr. Mu-Mund, are you there?"_

The man asked, the camera going in and out before staying on. People crowded around the car, looking inside and shouting in French.

"I can hear you. Where's my wife?"

Aster paid no mind to the people, only looking back and forth between the two cameras that were on the roof.

 _"Keep going. Now."_

Aster shook his head, shifting the gear and driving off once more. The people jumping out of the way, him smashing into more decorations, pressing the horn more. "Oh, nonono!" He yelled, swerving just in time to avoid a woman pushing a stroller.

"Jesus." He whispered, continuing to drive and smash into things, the crowd of people following behind him. Finally out of the plaza and back onto the road, he drove.

 _"Congratulations Mr. Mund. Your first task is complete."_

"Am I done?"

 _"We're just getting started, my boy."_

A hearty laugh followed the Man's voice, _"We're just getting started."_

Driving up to an intersection, _"Turn right now,"_ the Man order, and Aster followed, turning onto a one-way road.

 _"The water truck"_

"Yeah?" Aster asked, seeing said truck parked on the curb just ahead of him.

 _"Smash into it."_

Aster sighed and dropped his shoulders, shifting gears and speeding up, smashing right into the back of it. The force pushed the truck into traffic, causing two cars to smash into it as well and one to swerve out of the way, horns honking.

 _"Don't stop."_

He kept going, running over a package of water bottles that exploded.

 _"Speed up."_

Aster really didn't want to, _"Faster!"_

"The lights red down there!" He yelled, speeding up anyway.

 _"Go through it."_

He pressed the horn again, the people on the cross walk jumping to get out of the way and screaming. He drove through the intersection, narrowly avoiding getting hit by an oncoming ambulance, causing a different car to smash into it, flipping it on it's side before another car ran into it as well.

He drove.

 _"Wonderful, Mr. Aster Mund. Now turn right, pull into the underground construction zone."_

Doing so, Aster made a hard right turn, going down a decline and driving into the construction area. He found a pretty clear area, stopping and putting the car in park.

 _"Relax, and you'll await for further instructions."_

He took deep breaths, leaning back in his seat. He put his hand on his forehead and ran it through his hair, wondering about Ana and if she was okay.

Suddenly the passenger door was thrown open, and a gun was pointed at him. "Get out." A boy, no older than 17, demanded. He was wearing a blue hoodie, the hood up and covering his face, and black baseball cap under said hoodie. Aster glanced at the gun, then back at the boy.

"Get out! Now."


	3. Chapter 3

Aster stared at the guy, the boy still pointing it at him and yelling for him to get out. Aster nodded and mumbled, "Alrigh-"

 _"Do not get out of the car."_

"You heard me asshole. Get out!" The boy demanded, pressing the gun a bit closer. "Now."

"Look, you got the wrong car." Aster said, remaining calm, "Walk awa-"

"Now!" The boy yelled. "I'm doing you a favor," Aster said, but the boy didn't stop,

"Get out."

"You don't wanna steal-"

"Get outta the car."

"Walk away, you don't wanna steal this car-"

"Get out of the car!" The boy yelled, pressing his gun into Aster's personal space. Finally having enough, Aster grabbed the boy's wrist and twisted it behind his head, "Hey!" The boy yelped.

 _"Drive away."_

"Wha-? I can't! I got a kid in the car! Get out!"

 _"Drive away now."_

"What?"

 _"Drive."_

"What do you want me to do with him?!" Aster yelled.

 _"Drive away! Take him with you!"_

Aster shifted the gear with his free hand, then backed away, "Alright alright!" He yelled, driving away. "Let go of me, asshole!" The boy yelled, still locked in Aster's hold. "Do not ever, point a gun at me! Do you hear me? Do not ever point a gun at anyone!" Aster yelled, releasing the boy at the last word, taking his gun.

"Don't ever touch me like that again! You know what I could've done to you?!" The boy yelled, and Aster locked the doors, "What the hell are you doing?" He yelled, looking out the windows then back at Aster.

"Just strap yourself in."

"I'm not doing shit!"

"Just put on your seat-belt."

"No!"

"Strap yourself in."

"Where are you going?"

"Just strap yourself in!" Aster yelled, tired of his arguing already.

 _"Kill him."_

Both of them paused and looked at the GPS. Aster looked at the boy. His hood had slightly fallen off, revealing his bright blue eyes, now wide with fear.

 _"He has seen you, and he has seen the vehicle. Kill him."_

Aster shook his head, "I'm not gonna do it, I..I can't do that.." Aster said, keeping his eyes ahead.

 _"You either shoot him, or I'm going to shoot your wife."_

Aster paused, taking a glance at the kid before looking back at the road.

 _"One."_

A pause, moment of silence.

 _"Two."_

The kid looked like he would say something, but before he could Aster pulled the gun out and pointed it at him, the kid turning away with a gasp and shielding his face with his hood. Aster's hand shook, before he quickly put the gun back away, "No, I can't do that!"

The kid looked relieved. "I'm not a killer," Aster said, looking away.

 _"Its the right choice. You will need him."_

The kid looked at Aster, "You can keep the car," he then leaned forward, "Can I get out now?" He asked aloud. Aster nodded, "I'll let you out right up here."

 _"He is not to be set free."_

The kid's eyes widened and looked at Aster, who attempted to say something.

"I...I"

 _"He is not to be set free."_

"Listen-"

 _"Is that understood?"_

Aster, sighing and nodded, switched gears, "Understood." He said. "What?" The kid whispered out, looking back from the console to Aster. He made a quick right turn, then the streets were filled with flashing lights and sirens.

Cops.

"Oh great." Aster said, clenching his jaw as the kid gasped and looked behind them, "Oh my god." He said, "What did you do?!" He accused. Aster sped up and the kid gasped, "Pull over!" He yelled. Aster went faster, ignoring the kid and speeding through traffic, making a hard right turn, causing the kid to lean over towards him. The kid held the door handle with all his might, his pale fingers gripping it hard, as he tried not to fly out of the seat, "Shit!" He yelled as Aster drove faster.

Straightening the car, the kid sat up, "What the hell are you doing?!" He yelled at Aster, who just yelled back, "Put on your seat-belt!" The cops hot on their trail, Aster eye's were on the road, and the kid's eyes were on the gun that sat on the other side of Aster. He reached across Aster, grabbing the gun, but Aster managed to grab his wrist, causing him to drop the gun.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Aster yelled, keeping his eyes on the road as they swerved through traffic, "Do not touch that gun!" He yelled. Swerving to avoid the cars, he continued to yell, "I need both hands to drive this car!" He yelled. The kid just yelled back, "Let go of me, asshole!" He said.

"Do you understand me?" Aster yelled, ignoring him, "Do not touch that gun!" He yelled again. He let go of the kid, "Ugh, I hope we crash!" He yelled, "Help me!"

The kid rolled the window and was now attempting to crawl out of said window. Waving his hands and yelling back at the cops, "This guy's trying to kill me!"

"What are you doing?"

"Please pull us over! This guy is crazy!" The boy continued to yell. Aster grabbed his leg and pulled him back in the car, "Stay in the car! Do you understand me?! Stay. In. The. Car!" He yelled. He sped up, the cops right behind them. He shifted the gears, making a hard right turn into a small one-way street.

He went faster.

"Pull over!" The kid yelled again, then paused, "Please slow down!" He pleaded. Aster continued to ignored him. "Oh, we're going to die." The Kid said, grabbing the handle. "Shut up!" Aster yelled, tired of him talking. He sped through an intersection, making a hard right, sending one of the cops crashing into an oncoming car. One still following them.

Aster bit out a curse and drove through another intersection, turning hard and causing the kid to lean over onto him again. He straightened up and yelled at him, "You're the shittiest driver I've ever seen!" He accused.

Aster ignored him, sparing him a look before going back to the road. He sped up, weaving through the cars, passing them and continuing to drive. "Back off, back off." Aster mumbled, checking the cop in his mirrors. He made a hard turn once more, shifting gears, weaving through traffic. The cop smacked into someone from the back. He's out.

Something crashed into their side, another cop, however disguised, a black car with a single blue light on the roof. He kept smacking their side, not giving up. Aster suddenly turned a bit, narrowly avoid the incoming cop. The disguised vehicle slammed into the cop and flipped in the air, coming to a stop, upside down, on some cars that were parked.

"Oh my god...Is he dead?" The kid asked, looking behind them. Aster sighed, shifting gears and continuing to drive, "I hope not." was all he said. He kept driving, getting back into traffic.

"Listen to me, alright?" Aster started, "I have got to get this car outta the city, or they're gonna murder my wife." He explained, "You understand me?" He finished. The kid snarled, "Sure." He said, with a roll of his eyes.

"Let me give you a little word of advice, alright?" Aster began, "Next time you wanna steal a car, try to make sure that no one is in it." He said, "Alright? It works better that way." He finished, turning right onto another road. The kid rolled his eyes again and scoffed, "I'm not stealing it, you asshole, this is my car." He said.

"What?" Aster asked.

"You probably don't understand this because you're a criminal, but in this world there are things that belong to other people, before people like you take them!" He snarled. "This car, which was really great till you added all these cameras and shit in it to drain the battery, belongs to me." He growled.

After a moment of silence, Aster spoke up again,

"How'd you find the car?" Aster asked. The Kid sighed, "I got a call from a cop that he saw my car in the garage where I found you." He explained. Aster shook his head, "What makes you think it was a cop?" He asked. "Cause he said so, genius!" The Kid sneered.

"What kind of cop calls you to tell you he's got your car but still leaves me inside it?" Aster questioned out loud, "It wasn't the police that called you."

"Then who was it?"

"I don't know."

"When was it stolen?"

"Whenever you stole it!" The kid accused.

Aster pursed his lips again, "When was the last time you saw it?" He asked. "2 days ago, I guess." The Kid finally said, "Look you're obviously very disturbed, but whatever trouble you're in, I bet you deserve it." The Kid said, "So I'll cut you a deal. Pull over, get out, and I'll let you walk away."

"What are you gonna do?" Aster pestered, "Shoot me?" He sneered. The Kid glared at him, "Give me back my gun and I will."

"What's a kid like you doing with a gun anyway?" Aster asked. The Kid glared again, "I'm _not_ a kid! And it's for protection, so if dipshits like you try anything I can take care of it." He said.

Aster sneered, "Yeah that worked out well for you, didn't it?"

He turned down another road and continued to drive, shaking his head as the Kid glared once more and turned away, looking out the window...


	4. Chapter 4

After a few minutes of silence, Aster spoke up, tapping on the GPS, "Did you recognize that voice?" He asked, and the boy scoffed again, "Your friend who wanted you to kill me? No." He said, rolling his eyes.

"He's not my friend." Aster said, "Alright?" The boy shook his head, then sighed aloud, "I'm not the kind of person you want to be caught kidnapping." He said, and Aster glanced at him before turning back to the road, "Oh yeah? What, you special?" He asked, "Is that it?"

"Just do me one favor, will ya?" He looked at the boy, "Shut the hell up."

"You shut up!" The boy suddenly reached forward and pulled something out of his bag, his phone. Aster, taking another glance, saw this. "What are you doing? Gimme that." He said, reaching over and snatching the kid's phone away, then throwing it out the window.

"What the hell!"

* * *

 _Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle all the way_

 _Oh what fun, it is to ride, in a one horse open sleigh,_

In a bar, full of people laughing and enjoying themselves, Christmas music playing from the speakers, a man sat. A golden ring on his finger, two computers in front of him. One, on the left side, viewed the cameras that were installed in the car, showing the kid and Aster. The other, on the right, viewed words written in Russian, with ' _Sofia Policia Dispatch_ ' under it.

 _Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle all the way_

 _Oh what fun, it is to ride, in a one horse open sleigh,_

The man entered a password and the screen suddenly opened like a map, showing where all the police crusiers were. Blue eyes stared intently at the screen, highlighting an area with the mouse, exactly where Aster was driving, and suddenly all police cars were after it.

 _Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh_

 _'Or the hills we go, laughing all the way_

He gave a small smile, and took a sip of the eggnog that was in his cup.

* * *

"I can't believe you threw my phone out the window." The kid said, angry. He shoved his hood off and also took off the hat, revealing a full head of white hair. Aster said nothing, although the hair surprised him, he said nothing.

The kid stared at him. "I have a lot of money you know." He said, staring intently. Aster spared him a glance, "Good for you." The Kid rolled his eyes and sighed aloud, "As in, if you let me go, I can give you a lot of money." He said.

"I don't want your money."

"What do you want, then?"

"I want you to stop talking," Aster said, then paused, "And I want my wife back." The Kid sat back on the seat, "And he took her?" He asked, gesturing to the GPS console. Aster nodded once, "He did."

"Okay, well whatever you owe him, I can get however much it is to pay him off, no problem." The kid stated, looking at Aster, who kept shaking his head. "We can take care of it right now!" The kid persisted, "You just have to let me go and stop almost killing us!" He exclaimed.

"I would love, to let you out of this car, alright? Unfortunately, I can't do that." Aster explained. The kid deadpanned, "And why the hell not?" He asked. Aster sighed, "Because he asked me to, and I am doing what ever he asks." Aster explained.

"So, what? What are you supposed to do?" The kid asked, looking confused. Aster readjusted his grip on the steering wheel, "I don't know." He said. "Well who is he?" The kid asked, which got the same answer, "I don't know."

"What do you know?!"

"Not much."

The kid shook his head then returned his gaze out the window, silencing the car as Aster continued to drive.

* * *

In Ana's dark room, she lay on the mattress, curled up on her side, facing the door. Words in a language she didn't know caused her to sit up, the door opening and one of the large men coming in, closer to her. She attempted to scoot back on the mattress, but the man grabbed her and held her, forcing her on her knees with a gun to her head.

Another man in front of them, holding a phone out like he was recording a video. "Please, please." Ana helplessly pleaded, "Please don't do this, please don't shoot me." Ana pleaded, her voice wavering.

"Quiet."

* * *

 _Ring ring ring_

"Answer."

 _"It's time for your next task."_

"What is it?" Aster asked, glancing at the kid, who was looking at the console.

 _"More police are coming, you have 4 minutes to get away. You will follow my instructions, exactly. Someone wants to say hello."_

The screen cut out, then cut back on to a video of Ana, pleading. Aster suddenly sat up, "Ana?" The kid's eyes widened, and he looked at Aster. The screen cut out at the Man's voice,

 _"The clock starts, now."_

The screen showed a timer, counting down. Police sirens were then heard, a lot of them.

 **3:59...3:58...3:57...**

A cop appeared behind them, the flashing lights evident in the mirrors. Aster turned down an small street, "Dammit!" He cursed when another cop appeared just in front of them. The kid sighed, "Oh, I am so screwed.."

Aster shifted gears and put it in reversed, making the cop behind them swerve out of the way. He drove backwards into a small alleyway, stopping right there.

 _"Ram him."_

"What are you doing!?" The kid yelled when Aster switched gears again and drove forward, successfully smashing into the cop car, causing him to run into a tree. Aster drove away as the kid whispered, "Oh, God.."

 _"Keep going."_

 **3:33...3:32...3:31...**

"You're an idiot!" The kid screamed at him, "That's assault with a deadly weapon, buddy! They could shoot at us now." He yelled.

Aster glanced at him, then at the clock.

 **3:25...3:24...3:23...**

 _"Speed up."_

More sirens could be heard. Aster whispered another curse and shifted gears, speeding up.

 _"Turn right now!"_

Aster quickly shifted, turning right just in time. Two cop cars behind them now.

 _"Remember, if they catch you, you'll be a widower."_

Aster clenched his jaw, driving faster, weaving through traffic. The kid spared a glance at the clock.

 **3:10...3:09...3:08...**

The cops still right behind them. _"Turn left."_ Aster shifted and turn left just in time to avoid an oncoming car, going down another small street. A car was coming towards them, but Aster didn't stop. _"Force him off the road."_

"Look out!" The kid yelled when the car swerved to avoid them and smacked into another car that was parked on the curb. "This is not very subtle you know!" The kid yelled. "What are you talking about?" Aster asked. "You're not making yourself very hard to find!" The kid yelled at him. Aster was staring at the kid, not seeing the cop car coming for them till the last second, when both swerved out of the way of each other.

The cop smacked into another car, flying into the air and flipping upside down. Aster kept driving as the kid threw his head back and closed his eyes, "God, god, I'll promise I'll be good from now on, please let me live!" He said. Aster focused on the road, "You're really not helping, okay?"

 **2:41...2:40...2:39...**

 _"Turn right."_

Aster shifted gears and turned right onto a T-Intersection, where two cop cars were coming from both directions. He stopped the car, the wheels screeching on the cobblestone. 3 more cops arrived and formed around the car. The boy sighed, "Great."

Aster suddenly shifted the gear to reverse and backed away, going back onto the road they were just on, driving away. The cops were still right behind them..

 **2:18...2:17...2:16...**

 _"Drive down the alleyway."_

The boy gasped as Aster made a sharp turn, avoiding another cop that showed up. "Holy shit." The boy said, when a person throwing away trash jumped out of their way. Aster sped up, the cops still following.

 _"2 minutes"_

 **2:00...1:59...1:58...**

They left the alleyway, getting back into traffic. One cop that was directly behind them smashed into a car that was driving. "We're gonna die, please stop!" The boy yelled. Aster ignored him, still driving and narrowly avoiding the oncoming traffic that had the younger of the two males gasping.

 **1:45...1:44...1:43**

 _"I don't think you are going to make it.."_

Shifting the gears, Aster sped up, letting the oncoming car smack into the cop behind them. "What are you doing?!" The boy yelled. Aster focused on the road, "Take a deep breath, okay, and calm down." Aster instructed. The boy gasped again, a large truck was about to cut them off. Aster shifted, sped up, and narrowly avoided behind hit. The cop, however, wasn't so lucky. He and the other one behind him hit the truck, both flipping in the air and landing upside down.

"Shit.." The boy said. He turned in his seat, looking behind them through the window. "I think that was it.." He whispered. Aster checked as well, glancing in the mirrors.

 _"I wouldn't relax just yet."_

 **1:24...1:23...1:22**

More cop cars appeared ahead of them, and Aster slammed on the brakes, "Shit!" He cursed.

 _"Did you think we were done?"_

Aster put the car in reverse and backed up once more. "No don't!" The boy yelled. They were still in the middle of traffic. The cars swerved to get out of the way, and Aster just went backwards.

 _"You're running out of time."_

Aster swung the car around, pausing in the middle of the street.

 _"Tick tock, tick tock"_

 **1:00...0:59...0:58**

Aster shifted and sped off, swerving and shifting through the traffic.

 _"You have less than a minute."_

 **0:48...0:47...0:46...**

 _"Turn into the park."_

"Not into the park!" The boy yelled. "Here we go!" Aster mumbled, turning sharply into the park. The car smacked into one of the barriers, knocking it down and continued to drive.

 **0:37...0:36...0:35...**

 _"Your wife's time is running out."_

Flashing blue lights followed them through the park, Aster driving towards the exit.

 _"Go through the intersection."_

"Alright, hold on!" Aster said, driving fast. The cars missed him, but some smacked into the cops that were behind them, causing a block in the intersection. One cop was still behind them however.

 _"Not much time Mr. Mund."_

 **0:18...0:17...0:16...**

They went down another skinny road, a car was backing out of a parking spot. Aster swerved, shifting the gear and driving onto a pedestrian walkway. He drove straight for the stairs.

 **0:08...0:07...0:06**

"No please don't!" The boy yelled, at the same time Aster was yelling, "Yepyepyepyepyep."

"Here we go, hold on!" Aster yelled as they accelerated down the stairs.

 _"Five"_

 _"Four"_

 _"Three"_

 _"Two"_

 _"One"_

At the end of the stairs, Aster slammed on the brakes, pausing their movement.

 _"Bravo Mr. Mund. Well done. Bravo. Your wife lives."_

Aster started the car again and drove away, leaving the cops behind who were still searching for them, on foot now.

 _"For now."_

In the bar, the man glanced to one of his computers, showing a map of the city and seeing how the two road blocks that the police had set up. He smirked..


	5. Chapter 5

Road blocks were starting to align the city. Almost every other street was blocked off.

 _Ring ring ring_

"Answer."

 _"'Aster Mund is both reckless and fearful. He is ensured, a dangerous driver and should pursue another profession.'"_

The Kid glanced at Aster, who tightened his grip on the steering wheel as the Man read some article or something of the sort.

 _"Remember that review? It wasn't very flattering. They are blind, to your real talents. Which are perfectly suited, to my needs."_

Aster sat in the seat, driving in traffic, the Kid looking out the window every which way. "Do I know you?" Aster asked, looking up into one of the cameras.

 _"I know you, Mr. Mund. And I believe in you."_

The Man spoke, causing the Kid to glance over before returning his view out the window. "Listen, I need to know when this is all gonna be over, alright? I need-" Aster cut himself off as the boy rolled the window down. "What are you doing?" He asked.

 _ **Call Disconnected**_

The Kid ignored him and leaned further out, checking out the mirror then turning his head to gaze down the rest of his car. "Hey, what are you doing?" Aster asked again, looking at him then back to the road, then back to him. Still ignoring him, the boy slid back into the car and rolled the window up. He looked at Aster, "I hate you."

"Yeah, I love you." Aster said, mockingly. The Kid suddenly went off, just talking about the car, "Do you realize that I'll just have to buy another limited addition Shelby Super-snake, take another 6 months to re-time the cams, open up the intake and then customize it," He said, pausing then turning to Aster, "And then I'm gonna drive it over your face." He exclaimed.

Aster just glanced at him and the boy rolled his eyes, "You sure know a lot about cars for being a-"

"What, a kid?"

"...Yeah."

"Wow." The kid said. "I like fast cars and computers and video games." He said, sarcastic, "It's the 21st century, you should join it." He said, rolling his eyes, "And I'm 18, by the way, not a kid." He glared. He leaned forward and dug into his bag, pulling out a blue camera.

He turned it on, the little music it played getting Aster's attention, "What are you doing?" He asked. Finally getting an answer, the boy said, "I'm documenting this shit," He began, turning the camera, "I'm not going to jail after we get arrested." He stated. Aster shook his head and sighed, "Well, nobody's gonna get caught, okay?" He said.

The boy rolled his eyes, once more. "Oh that's right, I forgot, we're just gonna die because you're a dumbass who attacked the police with a car-"

"I didn't attack-"

"Now every cop in this entire country is hoping to run into us to put a couple bullets in our heads. Yeah, that's a good plan." He finished his rant, the last comment being sarcastic. "We are alive," Aster said, and the boy cut him off, "Barely." He said, "Not much of a thinker are you?" He commented.

"Well, you know, I didn't actually graduate from Charm School, like you," Aster sneered at the kid, "So maybe, you know, someday you can give me some tutoring or something." Aster said. The kid glared at him, rolling the window back down and pointing the camera at the mirror.

"This is what he did to my beautiful, beautiful car," He started, ignoring Aster's attempts to shut him up, "Shut that off, and just get in the car!" Aster yelled. The boy ignored him once more and got back in, "This is what he did to my carbon fiber interior," He continued, ending the camera on Aster's face, "And this is the dumbass who got me into this mess." He finished.

"Put that thing away." Aster demanded, "Hey, stop! I'm trying to-" He cut himself off, grabbing the camera from his hands and throwing it in the backseat, "Stop it." He demanded, which got him a dead-eye glare from the kid. The kid leaned forward again opening the glove compartment and rummaging around in it. Aster sighed aloud, "What is your problem, do you ever sit still?" He asked, "You're like ADD or something." He accused, "What are you fiddling with now? Stop doing that!" He demanded.

"Why?" The kid asked, annoyed, "Why?" He asked again, staring at Aster. "Because this guy is watching us, okay!" He said, flicking one of the cameras with his hand, "And I need you to stop-"

"I know what I'm doing."

"Just sit still and listen to me for 2 seconds."

"I know what I'm doing." He said again. After Aster didn't say anything, he continued to dig in the glove box, "See, I went to school, and I know things," He started, which is why I don't have to steal stuff like some people," He stated, directing the last part towards Aster. He pulled out a tablet with a single 3-D snowflake as the background and started taping away.

Aster sighed in his head, "If you're so smart, maybe you could tell me what's going on with all these cameras." He questioned, touching them and trying to turn them. The boy looked directly into the one just to the right of him. He put in the serial number on the camera, somehow connecting them all together to be shown on his tablet. He scrolled through them, "They're all linked to a single feed," He explained, "Not only is it encrypted, but it's piggy-backing on a public server."

"What?" Aster questioned, not exactly understanding. The boy rolled his eyes, a habit of his, "It means, that they're hosting a live feed on these cameras, on a government server without them knowing about it." He explained. Aster glanced at him, hoping for a little more information, and he got some. "So anybody could watch it," The boy said, "Even us." He finished, holding up the tablet.

Silence overtook the vehicle as Aster continued to drive and the boy directed his attention to his tablet. It was like this for a few minutes, before the boy spoke up, "Wait a second.." He said, more to himself than to Aster. "What?" Aster asked anyway, and the boy answered, "These aren't coming from the same place.." He explained, tapping away on the tablet again. "Where are they coming from?" Aster asked, looking back and forth between the road and the boy.

The boy held up his tablet, a picture of an almost empty parking garage was shown, "Looks like a parking garage." He told Aster. "Can you tell where it is? Does it hint anything?" Aster asked, trying to get a good glance at the place. The boy shook his head, "No, could be anywhere," He mumbled. Aster sighed in his head, "Do you think it's where he might be." He said more than asked. "Doubt it. But he can see it." The boy told him, "I just don't like the fact that he's watching us." The boy stated.

"Could you, I don't know, track him with that thing?" Aster asked, pointing at his tablet. "No." The boy said, shaking his head, "And if anyone did he would just jump the I.P. address," He explained, "As long as this feed is hosted remotely, there's no way to find it." The boy said, suddenly leaning forward and touching something close to the radio, "And that this isn't very well hidden." He stated, leaning back and running a hand through his white hair.

"What isn't?" Aster asked, and the boy answered with one word, "Microphone." Aster sighed once more, "Oh, so he's listening to us too?" He questioned. "Probably." The boy answered. Aster suddenly felt uneasy, gazing into the two cameras closest to him.

"Well, I'll give you this, you are bright."

"It's called being educated. You should look into it when you're not committing crimes." The boy said, "Scratch that-" He began again, reaching behind him to grab the seat belt, "You'll be in jail." He finished as the belt clicked into place. Aster continued to drive.


	6. Chapter 6

There little calm moment of silence and easy driving didn't last long. Almost immediately, loud sirens filled the streets and bright lights weren't that far behind.

 _Ring ring ring_

Aster shifted the gears, speeding up. "Answer." He said, evading the cops.

 _"Pull up power-plant, on the GPS."_

"We're kind of busy right now!" Aster yelled, another cop showing up behind them. He bit out a curse, turning down a road and speeding up again. The boy tapped the GPS, intending to what the man had said.

 _"Learn to multi-task."_

Aster looked behind them, another cop joining the chase, making it three in total now. He shifted gears and turned down a different road.

 _"Or let your new little friend help you. Look under the visor, won't you do that?"_

The man asked, but also demanded. The boy pulled the visor down and opened it. He saw the small drive almost immediately. The GPS finally lit up with the directions, "The city power plant," The boy said, confused. Aster didn't say anything, but quickly made a hard right turn.

 _"At exactly 11:30, you will be there."_

Aster drove fast, a cop coming towards their side missing them just by that much, and they slammed into a telephone pole, knocking it down. "Why are we going to the power plant?" The boy asked. Two cops were still behind them.

 _"Always so inquisitive, I like."_

Aster drove forward, then abruptly slammed on the brakes, spun around, and drove back the opposite way. One cop, not having enough time to react, dropped down the stairs and slammed into a delivery van. One cop still followed.

 _"Now listen carefully, you're to break into the control room, access the remote system, and insert that drive."_

"What will that do?" The boy questioned.

 _"You're a clever boy, I'm sure you'll figure it out."_

Aster swerved down another one way road, then finally got back into traffic, swerving past the cars and speeding up faster. "He wants to cut the power," The boy told Aster then yelled, "Why do you want to cut the power?" A park was directly in front of them, but Aster had no plans to drive through this one. The barriers were present, and Aster drove till he was just close enough, then turned a hard right. The cop didn't react fast enough, and drove straight into it, flipping over on his side.

 _"You have some time until 11:30, I wouldn't spend it trying to figure out my motives."_

 _ **Call Disconnected**_

"He's a real asshole!" The boy exclaimed. With no police behind them, Aster began to follow the GPS that was now leading them to the city powerplant. They were mostly out of the city when Aster suddenly turned onto a dirt road and pulled over, killing the engine and sitting back in his seat. The boy looked over at him, but didn't say anything. Till he did, "So you don't know who that is?" He asked. "No." Aster answered. "No ideas?" The boy questioned, and Aster shook his head, "Oh, I got ideas.." He said, "People I used to work with, but," He stated, "Nobody I know could set up something like this..." Aster finished.

"So why you?"

"Cause I can drive."

"That's debatable," The kid said, rolling his eyes again and looking away. Aster shook his head, "No, I mean I used to race. Professionally." He told the kid, who gave him a dead-panned looked, "Really?" He asked. "Really." Aster responded, "Like, real-racing." He explained.

"Don't think I ever saw you on T.V." The kid remarked. "Hm, well there might've been a couple weeks when you did." Aster mumbled. The kid shook his head, "And?" He asked. Aster paused, "'And' what?" He asked, which got him another look from the kid and a scoff. Then Aster knew what he was silently asking. "I washed out." He told him. Aster looked out the window, hearing the distant sirens in the city. "How come?" The kid suddenly asked.

Aster gave a weak shrug, "Don't know, just did." He said, "Doesn't matter now." He finished. "That's a pretty shitty answer." The kid declared. He sighed a loud and Aster looked at him, "I washed out because I believe everybody who told me how great I was," He began, "Turns out all I'm great at is wrecking expensive cars." He said, "So I fell off the pro-circuit, and I owed a bunch of money. This was the only thing I was ever good at." He continued.

"So I took whatever job payed the most." He said, looking at the kid who was staying silent, "I did some things I'm not proud of," He paused, looking around, "But then I got out of it," He said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet, "And this," He said, handing it to the kid, "is why." He finished.

The kid looked at the picture that was tucked into Aster's wallet. A beautiful woman with black hair, hazel eyes and sun-kissed skin. She was wearing a tie-dye shirt in the picture, with golden hoop earrings. "She's beautiful." The boy said, just barely over a whisper, "Is she from here?" He asked.

Aster nodded, "Yeah." He said, "She always wanted to come back." He continued. "So, we thought it'd be a good place to, lay low and start over." He said, "Then I come home from work today, the doors busted open, the place is a wreck. There's blood, on the floor." He explained, pausing for a second before continuing, "My cell phone rings, and this voice tells me, if I ever wanna-" He cut himself off, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

"If I ever wanna see her again, I gotta do this job." He said, summing it up. "And If I tell anyone, she's dead." He finished, pursing his lips. "Next thing I know, I'm driving around in your car." He said. It was silent for a while after that, Aster glancing around the car, finally getting a good look, "You set this thing up yourself?" He asked, and the boy nodded, "Yeah, it was a graduation present." He told Aster.

"Nice." Aster said, "Something tells me your dads not a mechanic." He said with a small smile, which got a little grin out of the boy, but it was gone when the boy shook his head, "He's the CEO of one of the largest banks in town." He told Aster, not looking at him, "We moved here about 2 years ago for him to take it over." He explained, "I barely see him, but this car is the nicest thing he's ever gave me." He said, looking down at his hands.

"Well, I'm sorry about all the damage." Aster said, and the boy exhaled. "You know, you could also apologize for taking me hostage." He said.

"And you could apologize for putting a gun in my face."

"I will if you let me out." The boy said, staring at Aster, who responded, "There's only one thing I'm certain about right now," He said, "And I'm gonna do whatever I have to to get her back." He continued, "So if he says you gotta stay in the car, you gotta stay in the car." He finished, turning his head and looking out the window. "And where does that get you?" The boy asked.

"And why is this happening? What is he after?" The boy asked, and when there was no answer, he continued, "You clearly haven't thought this through." He said, "What happens when this is all over and he gets what he wants? Why would he even give her back to you?" He asked, "If I were him, I'd kill her and I'd probably kill you too." He said, then paused, "Shit." He mumbled.

"What?"

"I'd probably kill me too."

After a moment of silence, Aster spared a glance at the clock, 11:14 P.M. Time to go. He started the engine, and turned the car around, going back down the dirt path. A clap of thunder startled the two males, and it soon began to rain.


	7. Chapter 7

With the rain coming down pretty steady, Aster drove to the power-plant. The lights were on, illuminating the pathway for them in the dark night. "Looks like they've already been here." Aster mumbled. Which got the kid to ask out loud, "If he was already here, why didn't he just take out the power himself?"

"I don't know."

Aster continued to drive on the small pathway. "Stop here." The boy suddenly said, and Aster eased on the brakes, "Why?" He asked. The boy was putting his hat back on, then the blue hood over it, "You ever see what happens to a metal car when it touches a transformer that powers the whole city?" He asked, a slight tone in his voice.

"Just, wait here. I'll handle it." The boy said, opening the door and stepping out. "Wha- alone?" Aster asked, looking at him. The boy nodded, "Yeah, just be ready to go." He said. "You sure?" Aster asked one more time. The boy nodded, then shut the door.

The boy walked to the small building, going up to the door. The lock was busted, broken on the floor. He pulled the door open and walked inside, Aster sitting in the car, feeling uneasy again.

* * *

The kid walked into the main building, walking forward to the main computer in the center of the room. He sat down on the chair and plugged the chip in. The computers lit up with code, but the kid handled himself, typing in exactly what was needed.

But he also typed in something else.

 _ **#9-1-1 Re-Direct**_

* * *

Aster, sitting impatiently in the car, talked to himself about what to do. "Turn the car around, that's what I should do." He said, grabbing the gear shift, but then paused, "No I should go in after him," He said, pulling the parking break up and about to unbuckle, but then paused again.

"No, he's fine. He's fine, he knows what he's doing." He said, settling on that answer. He shifted gears and reversed, planning to turn the car around.

* * *

The boy waited for the car to connect. He typed in more on the keyboard. A deep voice in French answered the phone. "Hello? I don't have much time, but I'm in this car with this man and his wife is kidnapped!" He said. "I speak English, calm yourself." The operator said

"Can you just send someone, please!" The boy almost yelled. "What is your um, emergency," The man asked. "I don't know! It's this voice, he's telling us what to do, and you have to help us!" He said. "And what exactly is your location." The operator asked. "I'm at the power-plant." He said.

Suddenly, a deep hearty laugh was heard, and the boy sunk in the seat, whispering a curse as the Russian man spoke.

 _"You make it so much fun. Where ever that clever mind takes you, remember, I've already been there. Look around."_

The boy looked up, seeing a camera in the corner of the room, and another one in the same corner of the opposite wall.

 _"You see? That's right. The police will think you blew up the power-station."_

The computers suddenly lit up red, with one big word: **OVERLODE**. The lights outside got brighter, Aster looking around in confusion.

 _"Can I give you some advice?"_

The boy looked up at the camera, waiting for the man to finish speaking.

 _"Run."_

The boy got out of the chair quickly, running back to the door and pushing it open, the lights and electrical wires exploding behind him as he ran back to the car. He opened the door, screaming, "Go, go, go!" He yelled. Aster faltered, then shifted gears and drove off as soon as the door was shut.

"Drive, drive! Go!" The boy pestered, "Hurry!" He yelled. The whole power-plant went up in flames, explosion after explosion. The whole city lost power. It was a City-Wide Black Out.

Getting back onto the main road, the cops were already on them. "Hold on." Aster said, at the same time the boy whispered a curse, "Shit." Aster sped up, two cop cars behind them and following fast. Aster weaved through traffic once more this night. Avoiding the cops and also trying not to hit any of the other cars.

He shifted gears, changing lanes. Back and forth, back and forth. Swerving and sliding, the rain letting up a little. One cop car was on either side of him, boxing them in. "Faster!" The boy yelled, "Go faster!" The cop on their left rammed them, the two cars rubbing against each other but neither slowing down. Aster rammed him back, forcing him to smack into the back of an SUV that was parked on the side of the road. One down.

Another cop was coming towards them, and Aster didn't swerve out of the way till the last second, making the cops, the one behind and the one in front, smack in to each other. That's two. There was a large accident in the middle of the road now, and Aster didn't stick around. He drove off, turning left at the intersection to avoid the road block the police had set up.

Aster pulled into a parking lot and parked the car. It was silent as the two sat there. Then, all of a sudden, the boy unbuckled his seat belt and opened the door, getting out and slamming it shut. "What are you doing?" Aster asked, doing to same thing.

"I'm not dying for you." He said, shaking his head. Aster looked at him, "What happened?" He asked. "This is apart of his plan! I was on camera that whole time!" With this information, Aster leaned against the roof of the car, "He could've taken out the power when ever he wanted," The boy continued, "But he lured us in there, because he wanted me to get caught on camera doing it!" He exclaimed, "You think the cops would ever believe me now?" He asked.

He shook his head again, "Before, it was just you. This car." He said, "But now I'm screwed too." The boy said. Aster didn't know what to say, he didn't know what to do, "I'm sorry." He said.

 _Ring ring ring_

The boy kept shaking his head, "I gotta take care of myself." He said, and that was all he said, before he walked away. Aster sighed, ran a hand through his hair and got back in the car. "Answer."

 _"Stop him from leaving."_

"Go to hell."

The call suddenly cut out, but came back as a video, "Where are you taking me?" Aster looked, startled by Ana's voice over the speakers. "Ana? Ana, can you hear me?!" He asked. "Please, Ana, can you hear me?" She looked at the camera, "Aster? What's going on?" She pleaded with him. "Ana, are you okay? Did they hurt you!?" He asked.

"I'm so scared.." She whispered. "I know, baby. I'm coming after you, I'm gonna make this all better!" The video suddenly cut off with a loud scream from Ana as she was pulled backwards. Aster smacked the console, "Put my wife back on! Put her back on!" He screamed, "Is my wife alright?!" He yelled.

 _"I told you not to let him out of the car."_

"I just need to see if she's-"

 _"I warned you."_

 _ **Call Disconnected**_


	8. Chapter 8

Aster sat back in his seat, his head dropping and his hand over his mouth. He didn't bother to look up when he heard footsteps walking toward him. Till the person sat down in the passenger seat. It was the boy. He came back.

"M' sorry.." He mumbled. Aster shook his head, "It's not your fault.." He whispered. "I know what it's like to disappoint everyone," He said, "But I'd never thought I'd let her down." He finished. The kid looked at him, "She's still alive." He said, voice firm. Aster glanced at the boy, who gave him a reassuring nod.

Aster shut the door and the boy reached back and grabbed the seat belt. Aster paused, "You don't have to do this." He said, which got a quick response, "I want to." The boy said, looking at Aster. He then started the car and shifted gears, reversing out of the parking lot.

* * *

Ana sat on the mattress, her knees pulled to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. The deep and loud voices of the men holding her here echoed through the room. She had no idea what they were saying. She couldn't help the tears that were slipping down her cheeks as she whispered to herself.

"Aster, please come save me..."

She dropped her head on her arms, crying. She pulled her knees closer to her and hugged herself tighter.

* * *

Aster drove through the city, the car silent. The boy leaned forward again, plugging in a charger in the USB port on the car. "What are you doing?" Aster asked. The boy sighed, "I'm gonna try and figure out his plan." Aster was about to say something in response, but cut himself off, "Oh shit.." He said. He stepped on the brakes, slowing them down.

A cop car was in front of them, patrolling. The lights weren't on, and it was also driving slow. It passed the street, but Aster didn't take any chances. He pulled into a small alleyway. There was another section connected to it, and Aster reversed into in, pulling as far back as he could and cutting the lights and the engine.

It was a good move, because the cop car came down the alley not even a few seconds later. "Get down, c'mon.." Aster said, sliding down in his seat and the boy doing the same. There were two cops in the car, one with a large flashlight shining it down the alley.

The other one got out, a smaller flashlight in his hand, and walked through the alley. He walked closer to the car, but not close enough. He still couldn't see the car. The cop turned, ready to go, but an air condition turned on, positioned just above the car. The cop flashed his light above the car, seeing the conditioner. He shook his head, then got back in the car. "Okay, okay..." Aster mumbled.

The cops backed up and left the alleyway. While they were ducking in the car, Aster didn't see the boy messing with his tablet again. "He was having you make this." He said, showing the tablet to him. It was a straight blue line, on one of the roads in the city, showing white dots where ever there was an intersection. It was one of those 'off-roads', away from the main ones. "You're blocking off a path." The boy said, showing where all the police blocks were, "Half of these are one-way streets, with these intersections blocked off.." He carried, "No one will be able to get through here." He continued.

"Until they clean this mess up, this will only be one way out of the city." He said, "The rest will be a total shit-show." He finished. Aster glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, "It's an escape route." He said, finishing with a loud sigh. "I just wish I knew what he was after.." The boy said, more to himself than to Aster.

"You and me both, kid." Aster said, sitting up and starting the car, "You and me both.." Aster said, turning the car back on. He drove out of the alley and got back onto the street.

 _Ring ring ring_

"Answer"

 _"I have good news for you. This is your last assignment."_

Aster shook his head, finally glad to hear something like that.

 _"Look up number 5, on the GPS. Follow the directions precisely, you have 10 minutes."_

The kid gasped. Aster looked at him and then the GPS, which showed the destination to be a bank. "It's the bank." The kid said. "What bank?" Aster asked. "He wants us to rob my dad's bank." The boy said, looking forward. "Shit.." Aster mumbled.

The boy shook his head, "We can't do that!" He said.

 _"Do as instructed, the clock is ticking."_

The boy continued to shake his head, "There's no way we could do that." He argued, "The security is way to tight!" He exclaimed.

 _"Don't concern yourself with security."_

"He wants us to get caught!" The boy exclaimed, looking at Aster.

 _"Follow the GPS, turn around."_

"This is a suicide mission, you have to listen to me! We can't do this."

 _"Ignore him. You will listen to me, turn around now."_

"Will I ever see my wife again?" Aster suddenly asked.

 _"Turn around. I'm losing my patience with you."_

The boy shook his head, looking at Aster, "Please." He whispered.

"Listen to me, alright-"

 _"No-"_

"I need to know if I am going to see my wife!"

 _"You will listen to me and turn the car around. This is your last warning."_

"I need to be told, if she is alright and when this shit is going to be over!" Aster screamed. The boy put his hand over his face and ran it through his hair. Aster paused, and took a deep breath.

 _"Do you want to see her again? Get control of yourself, and turn the car around."_

 ** _Call Disconnected_**

Aster suddenly slammed on the brakes, shifting gears and spinning the car around in the center of the road. "You can't do this! Listen to me okay, this is a setup!" The boy exclaimed.

"He will kill her."

"That's why it was my car, it had to be me! Think about it, my dad, he cut off my funds and now its my car that wrecking havoc in the city, and I'm seen robbing his bank? He wants us to get caught." The boy explained.

Both males were suddenly jerked forward. A cop had rammed into them from behind, which neither Aster nor the boy saw. The cop flicked the lights and the sirens on, and Aster sped up. He turned right at the intersection, another cop joining in.

"What does he wanna steal?" The boy asked to himself. Aster answered, "Money." He said, as if it was obvious. "But that's just it," The boy interjected, "It's not that kind of bank!" He said. "What do you mean?" Aster asked, turning left at another intersection. "My dad runs an investment bank, there's no cash." The boy said.

"Oh shit." Aster exclaimed when they arrived at one of the road blocks. He quickly slammed on the brakes, turning down a smaller road. It lead to an abandoned building, and Aster drove through the closed gates, smashing them open. "God." The boy gasped out when the car jumped a little. "So what are you talking about? What, is it like safety deposit boxes?" Aster asked, and the boy shook his head, "No, there's nothing like that in there, just computers." He said.

Aster drove past the building, turning a hard right to drive along the backside. "Bonds, bearer bond.." Aster said, listing things off. That last one had the kid scoffing, "Bearer bonds? How old are you?" He asked. Another cop joined their chase, making in three once more. "What is he after then?" Aster asked, "What is he trying to steal?" He asked.

The boy shook his head, then paused, "Unless..." The boy started. A cop smacked into their side, cutting the boy off, "Hold on!" Aster yelled, swerving the wheel. Aster rammed the car into the cop, which caused the cop to swerve and smashing through the windows of the abandoned building.

"Unless what?" Aster asked. "Unless you don't want there to be a record of your money," The boy started. "Right, right, like it's dirty money." Aster added, and the boy nodded, "Exactly." Aster turned again, yelling at the same time, "So how do you move dirty money!?" He yelled, but the boy yelled too. "Look out, look out!" He said, a cop coming towards them.

Aster slammed the breaks, the cops missing them and breaking as well. Aster drove down the road the cop had just come from. "C'mon, help me!" Aster yelled, driving faster. "They could encrypt the information in Numeric Transfer Key," The boy explained, "A, a flash drive with account numbers." He finished, and Aster added on, "And if you stole one of these little," He paused, taking a hard turn, "transfer keys.." He said, and the boy finished for him, "You could drain the accounts." The boy nodded.

"No one will report that money stolen, because it's not supposed to exist." The boy said. A cop on a motorcycle suddenly joined the chase, coming up behind them. "How much are we talking about here?" Aster asked, and the kid shook his head, "Could be billions." He said. Aster clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, "Should've been a banker." He mumbled to himself, and the kid rolled his eyes.

Aster was driving straight towards the building, "Tell me you're not serious!" The boy yelled. Aster didn't say anything. He shifted gears and sped up, totally serious. "Shit!" The boy yelled. Aster drove through one of the large windows of the building, making the glass shatter and rain down on the cop that was behind them.

Once inside, Aster made a hard right. The motorcycle cop took a short cut and was weaving through all the supplies left in the building, a cop car was on their side and the other one was just behind them. "I'm gonna go for it." Aster said, seeing a small ramp in front of them, "No, don't go for it!" The boy yelled.

Aster stepped on the accelerator, "Here we go!" Aster yelled. The cop car and the mustang flew off the ramp, the cop car going a little to high and smashing into the rafters the were hanging low from the ceiling. Only one cop car was left, and the motorcycle was still behind them.

"That was awesome.." The boy gasped out. Both males were then jerked to the side of the car, the other cop ramming their side and making the mustang rub against the side columns. The passenger side of the car was sparking, and the boy was yelling, "Get us out of here!" Aster turned the wheel, smacking into the cop car and freeing themselves.

Aster drove, trying to get out of the warehouse, the cop on the motorcycle driving next to them now, "Look out!" The boy yelled. Aster jerked the wheel at the cop, hitting the back of the motorcycle. The cop lost control and ran into a fairly large rock, flying off the motorcycle. Said motorcycle continued to move however, slamming into the back of the cop car and causing the cop to slam into one of the poles.

"I really.. _really_..hate you." The boy said as Aster drove away from the warehouse. "I can understand that.." Aster said.


	9. Chapter 9

Police lights were flashing on almost every street, and the sirens could be heard, all of them echoing together. Aster drove carefully. He didn't want to attract any more cops. The kid sighed in the passenger seat, looking at the GPS. They were getting closer to the bank. It was 10 minutes past midnight by now..

The kid looked at Aster, who was focusing on the road, shook his head, and then pulled his tablet back out. He opened the glove box and plugged in his tablet, "What are you doing now?" Aster asked. "Just wait!" The kid said, annoyed. He tapped away for a moment before looking up, "Okay, just sit still and be quiet for a minute." The boy ordered.

And they did, after a minute of silence, the boy tapped his tablet once. "Okay, it's done. I bought us some time." He said. Aster furred his eyebrows, "What?" He asked. "I hacked the server that runs these cameras and put in a loop of us driving." He explained, "That's what he can see right now." Aster understood, but still asked, "Why?"

"So that you'll listen to me," The boy started, "When we get there, we're gonna get caught and your wife will die." He said, leaving no room for an explanation, "We're his decoys!" The boy exclaimed. Aster looked defeated, "Great." He mumbled..

"The powers out which means the security infrastructures been compromised," He said, "And when that happens, there's a procedure." He explained. "Shit," The boy paused, running a hand through his hair, "My dad said something about this.." He said.

It was silent as the boy thought, "They're being moved.." He said, glancing at Aster, "They're moving them right now, they move anything that's sensitive to a secure location till the system is back up, and then they run like a million tests." The boy explained. Aster nodded, understanding the kid.

"So by the time we get there-"

"We'll be robbing an empty bank."

"Please, let's just find a way to look at it first." The boy pleaded, "I guarantee you it's swarming with cops." He said, staring at Aster. "How long do we have?" Aster asked and the boy gave a weak shrug, "I don't know, 5 maybe 10 minutes at the most." He said.

A loud horn and Aster slamming on the brakes had the two jerking forward. A large moving truck had almost hit them. "Hey, watch where you're going, asshole!" The kid yelled out the window, flipping them off as Aster drove away.

* * *

 _It's the most wonderful time of the year_

The man sat in the bar, the two computers in front of him. One, on the left, showed the loop of the kid and Aster driving, but he didn't know that. The other, on the right, showed an empty parking garage.

 _With the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you be of good cheer_

He typed something in on the computer and waited. A truck pulled into view in the parking garage. A smile grew on his face.

 _It's the most wonderful time of the year._

* * *

A few blocks away from the bank, with the building still in sight, Aster parked the car on the side of the road. "I'll go check it." The boy said, unbuckling and getting out. Walking up to the fence, the boy could see the hundreds of police officers walking around outside, guns at the ready, and the cop cars on stand-by. He exhaled out loud and walked back to the car.

"So you were right." Aster said when he stopped by the window, "I wish I wasn't." The kid said. He put his arm on the roof, leaning against the car. "So what do we do now?" Aster asked. "I'm thinking..." The boy said, barely a mumble...

"You said there was this...procedure, if the power goes out, they'll...they'll move the drives?" Aster asked, wanting to be sure. The boy nodded, "Yeah.." He confirmed. "Where do they move 'em?" Aster asked, looking up at him. "I don't know, it's classified information for the bank." The kid said, all defensive. Aster mumbled a curse. "But they gotta be picked up, right? So they gotta get picked up from here." Aster said, "Maybe they got all these cops out here waiting for us..I mean, what, is there a back door or something? Another entrance maybe?" Aster asked.

The kid gave a small gasp, and started walking away. Aster, not knowing what he was doing, unbuckled and followed him. The boy stopped and Aster walked closer, "You remember that parking spot that we saw?" The boy asked, "And you asked if I thought that was where he was?" He questioned.

Aster nodded his head once, "Yeah." He said, confused on where this was going. The kid turned his body, pointing at something, "Well, I bet he's there now." He said. Aster turned to where he was pointing.

A parking garage.

Aster lifted a finger, "Told you you were bright." He said, then walked back to the car. The boy gave a small smile, "Let's go." Aster said.

* * *

In the parking garage, 8 armed guards prepared for the transportation of the hard drives. 2 were in the truck, ready to leave should anything happen, 2 more were standing by the doors of the truck, guns ready and standing tall. The next 2 opened the doors for the last 2 guards, one holding the drives and the other just behind him.

They spoke to each other in French, saying directions and codes. They were focused. One opened the door to the truck, and the man with the drives put them inside the technical container that locked and was made for holding them. Once the drives were secure, all the men suddenly heard echoes throughout the parking garage.

All of them were alerted, facing the oncoming threat. They positioned their guns, ready to shoot anything..They looked every which way to pinpoint where they echoes were coming from.

Suddenly, 4 men on red dirt bikes with guns appeared in front of them. All four of them pulled their guns at the same time and started to shoot. They got one of the guards. Two. Three. Four. Five. The two in the truck started to drive away. They shot the last guard. The truck was gaining speed, but the four on the bikes were much faster.

They caught up to the armored truck, placing small circular bombs on both the windows and the sides of the vehicle. The four sped away, and the bombs exploded. The truck smacked into one of the columns, and the four motorist sped back to the truck. One of them, with a large bag, got in the back and walked up to the drives.

In the earpiece, the man's voice told him the access code, _"3-1-9-7-2-1-3-4-2-6."_ He said, and the drives were unlocked. The man smiled, revealing a golden tooth, as he watched the whole thing from his computer screen. The sound of tired screeching had the man with the drives pause and look up. The mustang was coming towards him.

 _"What?"_ The man whispered to himself, tapping on his other computer and fixing the video.

The kid opened the door as Aster drove past the man with the drives, smacking into him and throwing him down. Aster then reversed and the kid got out fast, picked up the box of drives, and got back in, shutting the door, "You got 'em?" Aster asked, and the kid nodded, "Yeah, go. Go!" He said. The three people on the bikes started following them, the man yelling into their earpieces, _"Get them, get them!"_ The two upfront started shooting at them, but the bullet ricocheted off the windshield.

The guy they knocked over was back on the bike and now it was the original four chasing them. The man typed on the keyboard, calling Aster.

 _Ring ring ring_

 _"Answer me. Answer, answer me!"_ The man said to himself, _"Answer!"_ He yelled.

"Answer." Aster said calmly.

 _"You're dead! Your wife is dead! It's over, don't play with me!"_

"We hold the cards now, asshole!" The kid yelled, reaching forward and ending the call. Aster smirked and drove out of the parking garage, the four motorist still following closely behind.


	10. Chapter 10

Going up a level in the parking garage, Aster drove fast and easy. The four motorists were right on their tail. The kid looked behind them and moved the the drives to the backseat. Finally making it out, they drove through the traffic and make a sharp right turn, following the tracks of one of the many trams that traveled through the city.

"Could you be a bit more careful!?" The kid yelled and asked, turning around in his seat. Aster didn't say anything, focused on the road. "Ugh, how do I get this drive out?!" The kid said to himself, messing with the box that held the drives. "Got it!" The kid suddenly yelled, twirling back in his seat and holding the drive in view.

One of the motorist gained speed and was right against the driver's side. The tram was coming towards them. "Knock into him!" The kid yelled. Aster did just that. He jerked the wheel to the left a bit, knocking into him once. He lost control, but quickly gained it. Aster knocked into him again, throwing the man off the bike and the tram smashing into the bike.

The Man, who was still watching the cameras, cursed in Russian.

 _"дерьмо"_

"Holy shit, dude!" The kid yelled. Aster weaved through the cars in front of them, two motorists behind them with the last one on another section of the street, going above them. The car and the two motorists went into a tunnel. "Oh my god, go!" The kid yelled, looking back and seeing that they were catching up.

Aster weaved through the traffic, switching lanes and going between the cars. The two men pulled out their guns and started shooting them. The kid yelped and Aster screamed, "Get down, get down!" The kid covered his head with his arms and slid down in his seat. The two men were gaining speed and were now on either side of them, "Do something!" The kid demanded, "Get us outta here!" He said, still ducking from the shots.

Aster shifting gears and sped up, then suddenly turned a hard right, going onto a side road, over the curb. The two men were still behind them. They got on either side again and pulled their guns, "Look out!" The kid yelled. "Hold on!" Aster yelled back, suddenly slamming on the brakes just as the two men began to shoot.

The one of the right shot a bit to low, and took out the other guy, shooting his tires. Aster eyes widened, he wasn't expecting that. He rammed the last guy, leaving him trapped between the wall and the car. His bike started to spark and he slowed down. The guy lost control of the bike and turned away, going back into traffic and slamming into the side of a car, the guy flipping off and landing on the other side of the car, sliding over the pavement and causing another car to smack into a wall.

The kid grimaced, but Aster continued to drive. They left the tunnel and Aster abruptly turned left, to avoid the road block just in front of them. "This is Sofia Police Department," A loud speaker said, a French accent in the words. "Shit." Aster said. "Pull over the car now!" The speaker demanded. "Lose them," The kid said, looking out the window. Two cop cars drove up, one on each side. There were a lot more vehicles behind them, "We're trapped." Aster whispered out.

They were coming up on a dead-end street, and Aster suddenly got an idea. A crazy, stupid idea, but it just might work. "Alright, sit back. Sit back," Aster said, putting his arm out in front of the kid, holding him back. He slammed on the brakes, skidding the car to a stop. "Where's the gun? Where's the gun?" Aster asked, quick and urgent. The kid reached down and pulled it out, "Give it to me!" Aster yelled, still fast, but acting nervous now.

All the cops behind them got out of their vehicles and started to walk to the car, guns drawn and ready, shouting in French at them. "Alright, just go with me on this, alright? Just go with me." Aster said, looking at the kid, who was staring at him in confusion. Aster took a deep breath and started yelling.

"Back off! Back off, or I will shoot this kid!" He yelled, pointing the gun out the window and then turning it on the kid, who opened his mouth in shock. "Back off, or I will blow his brains out!" Aster yelled, moving his hand in a shooing motion. "Hey, hey, you see this?" He yelled, showing the gun out the window, then pointing it at the kid again, "Back off, or I'm killin' this boy, you hear me?!" He yelled.

"I will kill this boy, right now!" He screamed. The cops were actually backing away. It was working. Aster kept the act up, "You see me?!" He screamed, and the kid looked at him with fear in his blue eyes, "What the hell are you doing?" He whispered. Aster ignored him, "Hey, you!" He yelled, pointing at a police man, "Yeah, you! Back off!" He yelled.

He glanced at the kid, who was taking deep breaths, "You okay?" He asked, before returning to the act, "Hey! Back, back!" He demanded, "Or I'm killing the boy, you hear me?!" He yelled, "Back off!" He demanded again, showing the gun out the window once more, "Back off!"

"That's it, you're doing great!" Aster yelled, waving his hand at them, shooing them away. The cars behind them actually backed away, some were still on foot, but away from the car. Aster reversed, "Get outta my way, copper." He mumbled to himself, turning the car around and driving away, "Can't believe that worked." He said, and the kid took in a few more gasps of air, shaking his head.

* * *

As Aster drove through the town, the Man was watching them. He tracked their location, and when they reached a certain spot, he tapped on the blue-tooth in his ear, _"They're clear, I've sent you their location. Intercept them."_ He instructed. Another man on a bike was driving to where they were.

* * *

As they drove, Aster suddenly stopped on a small one-way road, driving to the center of it and stopping right in the middle of the lane. The kid glanced around, "What are you doing?" He asked. No one was following them, so why did Aster stop? Aster inhaled a deep breath, "I'm gonna let you out." He said, reaching over and unlocking and opening the kid's door. "What?" The kid gasped out, shock in his voice.

"C'mon, you're not a suspect anymore." Aster started, "They think I kidnapped you, so just tell 'em you were a hostage." Aster finished. "No, I'm-" The kid started, but Aster interrupted, "I'm serious, you've done more than enough for me, alright? And I can't risk your life anymore." Aster explained, "I really can't. Get out." He said, not demanding at all, "Okay?"

"No!" The kid exclaimed, shaking his head. "Get out of the car," Aster said again, leaving no room for discussion. The kid grabbed the handle and slammed the door shut, "No." He said. "C'mon!" Aster exclaimed, "Get outta the car, will ya?" He said. The kid stared at him, "I'm coming with you." He told Aster.

Aster sighed, "You're an extremely stubborn person, alright, you know that?" Aster said. The kid gave a mindless shrug, "I know," He said, "But I'm still not getting out of the car." He continued, "Besides, without me, you'd probably do something stupid." He accused, "Like get your face shot off." The kid finished, glaring. Aster's eyes widened, glancing at the kid.

"Alright." Aster said, starting to drive again. "You don't even know my name, do you?" The kid said. Aster pursed his lips, "No." He said. The kid smirked and shook his head. Shots were suddenly heard, and another guy on a bike started shooting at them. The kid yelped and smacked Aster's arm, "Go!" He yelled. Aster shifted and drove faster, the bike gaining speed behind them.

Aster suddenly turned down a road, the bike right behind them. He drove close to a stack of tires, and the bike drove on the other side of them, just barely missing them. "Dammit!" Aster yelled, the bike gaining speed. Aster spared a glance at the speedometer, they were going just above 100. The guy pulled his gun again and started shooting the side of the vehicle.

He kept shooting, the kid letting out a small yelp, causing Aster to glance at him for a quick second before looking back at the road, "You alright?!" He asked. "Hit him!" The kid yelled. Aster grit his teeth and jerked the car, smacking the bike. The bike swerved to gain control, driving over something and launching into the air. He landed and drove through a puddle, splashing water over himself. Somehow, they drove into the train yard, Aster still trying to get rid of the guy on the bike, but he was skilled. He followed them and kept trying to shoot them. "Dammit." Aster mumbled over his breath. He suddenly changed his course and drove through the two trains that were parked on the tracks. The bike drove up on the landing, getting higher and shooting down into the car.

Aster put his arm around the kid's neck and pulled him down, "Get down, get down!" He said. Aster's eyes widened when he saw the people in front of him. "Look out!" The kid yelled. Aster jerked the wheel and drove up a ramp, smacking into the wall next to it and losing the passenger side mirror, the kid gasping.

On nearly the same level as the bike, Aster kept driving. He smashed through barrels and boxes, the kid yelping a loud. The guy still kept shooting at them. "We gotta get outta here!" The boy yelled. "Where's the gun!?" Aster yelled back.

"I don't know!"

"Find it! Hurry!"

"Okay, okay!" The boy said, leaning down and looking for the gun. Aster drove through another set of barrels. "I got it, here!" The kid said, revealing the gun and handing it to Aster. They drove through some more boxes. "Okay, I need you to hold the wheel, alright? Just keep it straight!" Aster yelled. He cocked the gun and pointed it out the window, "I need you to down shift, you ready?" He asked, and the kid nodded, one hand on the wheel and the other reaching for the gear shift.

"Now!" Aster yelled, and the kid did. At the same time, Aster shot the guy, hitting him in the shoulder. He dropped his own gun and smacked into a large propane tank. Causing explosion after explosion to happen around them as the drove away. The explosions seemed to follow them. Aster stepped on the accelerator, driving off a ramp and smacking down on the ground. Aster swerved out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed by a falling radio tower.

"You okay?" Aster asked when they were out. The kid nodded and took a few deep breaths, "Yeah.." He whispered, "Yeah, I'm good." He said. Aster nodded with him, and continued to drive.


	11. Chapter 11

_Ring ring ring_

Aster drove under a bridge, driving down another alleyway and parking in the open, empty dirt field. The phone was ringing, and Aster was about to answer it, but before he could the kid said something first, "I have an idea." He said, reaching for his seat-belt, "Get out." He said.

Both males got out of the car, walking towards the front. The kid crossed his arms over his chest. Only now did Aster see that he was a good head taller than the kid. "What's up?" Aster asked. "Okay, so we meet up with him. Do a trade. The drive for your wife." He said, and Aster shook his head, "That'll never work." Aster mumbled.

"I have a way around it," The kid said, cutting off Aster, "We use his camera to feed the video to the cops." He explained, "They'll see everything." He said. Aster looked down at the gravel ground, silently thinking. He looked back up to the kid, who nodded his head, telling Aster that this would work. Aster put his hands behind his head, walking back around the car.

Still no answer, the kid sighed. He bent down in front of the hood and started messing with the camera. He switched the feed from a locked video feed to a live video feed. Aster watched him, exhaling a deep breath. The phone was still ringing when they got back in the car.

Aster glanced at the kid, who jut stared right back at him. "Answer the phone." The kid said, slowly nodding. Aster nodded, "Answer."

 _"You think you are so smart? I wouldn't be so-"_

"No, shut up." Aster said, interrupting, "You listen to me now." Aster demanded. He took a deep breath, "We have what you want, let's make a trade." Aster said.

 _"Where?"_

Aster looked into one of the cameras, "You know where I work?" Aster asked, "I'll see you there in 2 hours." He finished. The kid smirked, staring into a camera that was in front of him, "Night asshole." He said, before reaching up and pulling the camera, disconnecting it.

* * *

As Aster drove to his workplace, the kid was tapping away at his tablet again. Aster wasn't sure exactly what he was doing, but he knew it had something to do with that camera that was sending the video to the police. Aster had a cold glare on his features, determined to get this over with and get Ana back.

* * *

At the airplane hangar where Aster works, Aster drove through the already open large doors. Airplanes were waiting in the hangar, but there were also three black cars waiting for them as well. Before they both got out, the kid made sure once more that the video was being directed to the police department.

Two men each got out of the cars to their right and left, and only one got out of the black SUV in front of them. They were guards. Another man appeared and he walked forward, standing tall and proud. Was that the Russian Man? Aster and the kid took of their seat-belts and got out of the mustang. As they walked forward, the kid glanced around. The other men were staring at them, watching with sharp eyes.

"Where's my wife?" Aster asked, looking around. "Where's my drives?" The man up front said. He wasn't the Russian man, an American accent in his voice. Aster glanced at the kid, who pulled the drive from his pocket. He held it in view for the man to see. "Where's my wife." Aster asked again.

The moved his left arm, holding it out and gesturing with his hand. The man by the black SUV opened the back door and pulled out a struggling woman. "Ana!" Aster said, and she paused in her struggles, "Aster?" She asked. The man got their attention again, "I need to know they are real." He said. The man holding Ana ripped off the bag over her head and she gasped.

"You," The man said, gesturing to the kid, "Follow him." He instructed, pointing to another man. The kid glanced at Aster, who just stared at him. The kid looked back at the man, "Let her go first." He said. The glared at first, then smirked and did the same gesture with his hand. The man holding Ana let her go and she immediately ran to Aster, who embraced her in his arms, holding her tight.

The kid walked forward, past the man. He kept walking, but he easily saw the earpiece in his right ear. He continued to walk.

"Oh thank god." Ana whispered, "Thank god you're here." Ana said. Aster kissed her forehead before kissing her on the lips and hugging her again. The kid finally got to the man that was holding a laptop. He held out his arm and the guy snatched the drive from his hand.

 _"I'm waiting."_

"Waiting," The guy repeated turning his body and looking back at the kid and the guy, who was downloading the external drive and accessing the accounts. The kid saw his earpiece again, and looked at the SUV seeing a man sitting inside, his face blocked by the darkness, but he could see white hair.

The guy with the computer turned and held up a thumbs up, the money was there and was all collected. "Let's go," Aster said, looking at the kid.

 _"Shoot them."_

The kid saw the man reach behind him, pulling out a gun. "Aster, look out!" The kid yelled. Aster wrapped his arms around Ana, protecting her and bringing them both to the ground. Just before, the man shot, but he missed and hit the car instead. Sirens and lights suddenly invaded the hangar. Cop after cop drove in. The cops getting out and surrounding the men. The guy that had the computer suddenly grabbed the kid, forcing him into the SUV and driving away from the hangar and the cops.

Aster looked up from where he and Ana were still on the floor, "Aw, shit! They got the kid!" Aster yelled, "I gotta go get him." He said. Ana nodded, "Go save him." She said. Aster helped her up and walked around the car, "Stay with the police!" He said, getting in and starting the car. He shifted gears and reversed out of the hangar. He got one last glance at Ana, who was speaking to a cop.

Aster left the hangar and sped down the highway. He looked every which way, trying to find the black SUV, "Shit." He whispered, shifting gears and driving faster. He heard beeping coming from the kid's backpack. He reached down and pulled out his tablet, a video feed coming up. It was the kid, a scared look on his face.

 _"They've got a gun on me.."_ He whispered. A voice in the background spoke up, _"Quiet. No speaking."_ He demanded. The camera suddenly turned and pointing out the windshield, _"Aster, I hope you can see this. I'm trying to show you where we are.."_ The boy whispered. Aster set the tablet down, getting off an exit and driving to where they were.

Aster suddenly caught sight of the SUV, turning down the one-way road and getting right behind it. _"Aster, yes!"_ He heard the kid say over the tablet feed. _"You're screwed, asshole!"_ The kid yelled. _"Shut up!"_ The voice in the background yelled back.

Aster shifted gears, going faster to catch up to the SUV. "C'mon, c'mon.." Aster mumbled to himself. The SUV suddenly gave a sharp turn into traffic, Aster weaving and skidding through the cars to avoid being crashed into. Aster followed the SUV as they both weaved through the cars, going back and forth between lanes as if going through traffic cones.

Aster suddenly lost control from a quick second, when an explosion went off just beside the mustang. "What the-" Aster yelled, gaining his control back. He looked in the mirror, another car was following him, one guy leaning out the window with a grenade launcher in his hands, "Are you fucking- Dammit!" Aster yelled. Aster heard struggling, and then the camera feed that the kid was transmitting was suddenly cut off.

The guy following launched another grenade, Aster swerving just in time to avoid it. Another car joined their race. The SUV turned down a road, but Aster didn't see it. Aster and the two other cars fought over the road and through traffic, over a long bridge. The guy kept shooting grenades at Aster, some missing just before him, and others going across the other side of the street, hitting one car and having it flip over, sliding across the pavement.

With the two cars on either side of him, the grenade launcher ready, Aster suddenly slammed on the breaks, getting behind one of the cars. He slammed on the accelerator next, bumping into the car and causing him to lose control. He slammed into them again, the car hitting another one, driving into it and flipping in the air, Aster swerving out of the way.

He decided to do the same thing to the other car, smacking into the back of them and causing them to lose control as well. They both lost control at the intersection, both doing a half-donuts move to avoid flipping over. Aster gasped when the car suddenly shit off. He turned the key, the engine refusing to start.. The black car was just across him. The guy aimed the grenade launcher out the window, ready to shoot. Suddenly, a large Semi came out of nowhere and ran right into the black car.

Aster eyes widened. _'What the hell?'_ He thought. He didn't linger long, going back to try and start the car again. On the third turn, he got it back on, the engine roaring to life. He drove away from the scene of the crash, getting back on the highway and driving fast. He looked for the SUV.

A large traffic jam was present in front of him, "Shit." He mumbled to himself. Honking horns, yells, and red lights were the only things he could hear and see. He ran a hand over his face, then paused. He grabbed the kid's tablet again. He pulled up his history and found the map that he had made, showing the map of the roads. "The only way outta the city." Aster repeated, then looked up, "I know where he is." He said, putting the tablet back down and getting out of the jam, driving away and towards his intended target.


	12. Chapter 12

Aster followed the map on the kid's tablet, getting away from the traffic jam and catching up to the SUV once more. Said SUV suddenly swerved, the kid must've done something, Aster thought.

They turned off the highway, Aster following close behind. They sped up, and Aster did the same, shifting gears and catching up. The sun was coming up, the sky turning a shade of orange and blue. The SUV drove down a long stretch of road, Aster following behind. They sped through the intersections, narrowly avoiding the cars that were driving through.

Finally, they turned into a park with a large monument in it. They turned down a road that wrapped around the monument. They drove through the skinny roads that were ment as pedestrian pathway. The actually people walking around jumping out of the way.

The SUV drove up the stairs. "Get out." The man demanded. "What?" The kid asked, which got a gun pointed at him, "Now." The man demanded. The kid opened the door and rolled out of the car, landing hard on the pavement and rolling a bit. He landed in front of a small terrance with a few plants in it. Aster shouted and slammed on the brakes. He was driving right towards him.

The kid gasped and covered his face. The side of the mustang slammed into the terrace, flipping the car over not once, not twice, but three times, before the back of the mustang slammed into the SUV. The cameras cut out. The kid sat up and stared at the two cars. The back of the mustang was on fire, and the kid could barely see Aster through the broken and cracked windshield.

The kid got up and ran to the car, Aster shimmying out of the door, "Are you okay!?" The kid yelled, running up to him and helping him out to the front. He wasn't using his right arm, he must've hurt it. Cop cars arrived at the scene just as Aster sat down on the hood of the mustang, the kid hovering close to him. A few of the cops put out the fire on the back, the rest going up to the SUV.

A cop car drove up with Ana in the back, who got out immediately when they parked and ran over to Aster and the kid. "Thanks." The kid said, looking at Aster, who gave him a small smile in response. Ana suddenly ran into Aster, holding him tight and sighing in relief. She let go of him and grabbed the kid, pulling him into a hug as well. The kid was surprised at first, but put his arms around her as she whispered in his ear, "Thank you." She let him go and went back to Aster's side.

The kid looked at his beautiful car, now wrecked with damage more than the eye could see, smoke still coming from the back. "Ugh." He groaned, but there was a smirk on his face. "Guess I owe ya one, huh?" Aster said, and the kid gave a mock glare, "Yeah, you owe me a new car." He said. Aster scoffed, "Don't worry about the car," He said, "Just needs a new paint job..or something. It'll be fine." He finished. The kid rolled his eyes and walked back over to Ana and Aster.

The kid stopped when he saw the cops put the Man in the back of a cop car. Aster shook his head, and then a phone started ringing.

 _Ring ring ring_

"What is that?" Aster asked. Ana reached into the pocket of the jacket she was wearing when they rescused her. "I don't know," Ana said, she pulled out a cell phone, "That's not mine." She stated, holding it out. Aster took it and answered, walking over to the cop car with the Man sitting inside it.

"Hello?"

 _"Don't you want to thank me? I did for you what you could never do for yourself. I showed you what you are made of,"_

The Man spoke on the phone, and Aster finally walked up to the car. The man, who had blond hair and hazel eyes, sitting in the back looked up at him through the window, smirking. He was just a decoy...

 _"I'm sorry I could not be there in person. I'm sure you understand. Under the circumstances it would've been most inconvient for me. If you are asking yourself, who I am to you, I will answer you. I am your greatest fan, I always thought you could be at the top of your profession, if only you believed you could, so that's it, you see._

 _Please send your lovely wife, my best wishes for a happy Christmas. I'm sincerly glad you worked things out to be with her for the holidays. It's the season, to be together with loved ones, so I'm told. I have very few loved ones. My consulation, is that I have a lot of money. And now quite a lot more of it, thanks to you._

 _I doubt if our paths will cross again, but then again, life is full of surprises. So let's just say, Au Revoir_ _. In short, it's been most entertaining."_

In a bar, all the way across the world, in America, actually, the Russian man sat. He hung up the phone he was just on, and closed his laptop, showing more than 3 billion dollars that had just been transfered into his account. He handed the laptop to one of his men, who placed it in a secure case.

He then walked out of the bar.

A smirk on his lips and a glint in his eyes.

* * *

THE END


End file.
